Speech-Language Pathologist Ida Lloyd is among clinicians at Five Counties Children’s Centre encouraging parents and adults to give the gift of reading to a child this holiday season.
Five Counties Children’s Centre is encouraging families to consider swapping out traditional toys and electronics for something simpler and more meaningful this holiday season: books.
Clinicians at Five Counties say reading is one of the most powerful ways to build early language, communication and literacy skills for children across Peterborough, Kawartha Lakes, Northumberland and Haliburton/Minden.
Speech-Language Pathologist Ida Lloyd says books make exceptional gifts because they support lifelong communication development and spark imagination.
Reading together benefits kids at every age. For newborns and toddlers, books help establish comforting routines and introduce the rhythms of language. For older children and teens, reading can strengthen self-expression and expand their understanding of the world. Lloyd says one of the greatest advantages of reading is the time shared between adults and kids.
Five Counties’ speech-language team recommends several types of books for holiday gift-giving: wordless books that allow readers to narrate the story; books with textures or lift-the-flap features for hands-on exploration; rhythmic or repetitive stories that encourage kids to “fill in the blanks”; and books with playful, expressive sound words that keep young listeners engaged. Search-and-find books and classics from authors like Sandra Boynton, Richard Scarry, Robert Munsch, Margaret Wise Brown and Eric Carle also top their list.
Lloyd adds that reading doesn’t need to be formal, even signs, labels or grocery lists can become opportunities for learning.
The Centre encourages parents to follow their child’s lead during reading and keep the experience fun, building early literacy in simple, meaningful ways.
(Written by: Joseph Goden)
